On March 21, 2025, renowned Indian comedian Kunal Kamra performed at the Habitat comedy club in Mumbai, where he performed a satirical song criticizing Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. In the song, Shinde was called a "traitor" due to his political change in 2022, which led to the fall of the previous state government.
After a video of this performance was posted online, around 20 Shiv Sena party supporters, led by Shinde, attacked and vandalized the Habitat club on March 23. Police arrested over 10 people involved in the incident, including Shiv Sena youth leader Rahul Kanal.
Political reactions to Kamra were fierce. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis condemned the comedian, stating that "freedom of expression has its limits" and that " there is no need to spare them ". The state's Home Minister Yogesh Kadam announced that police were tracking Kamra and would investigate his motives and finances.
In response to these developments, Kamra refused to apologize, defending his right to political satire. He stated: "As far as I know, it is not against the law to make fun of our leaders and the circus that is our political system."
Local authorities began demolishing parts of the Habitat club, claiming they were built illegally. As a result, the club was temporarily closed. Club representatives expressed shock and concern about the acts of vandalism and stressed that they were not involved in the content of the artists' performances.
The incident has raised fresh concerns about freedom of expression in India. Other comedians, such as Vir Das, have also faced backlash and legal action for their performances. In 2021, a Muslim comedian was banned for several weeks for allegedly making "vulgar" jokes that insulted Hindu deities, despite not having performed them during the show.
Kamra is no stranger to controversy. In 2017, he received death threats after posting a satirical video about Indian nationalism and demonetization. He has also faced contempt of court charges for his comments about the Supreme Court of India. (A2 Televizion)
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